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Let's be honest about this current situation. Valve pushing for Linux gaming is for survival, not charity. Windows is closing in on them: stricter kernel acce

Let's be honest about this current situation. Valve pushing for Linux gaming is for survival, not charity. Windows is closing in on them: stricter kernel access (tougher time for anti-cheat) Encouraging users to use the app store, or more accurately: discouraging users to install from binary They threaten Valve's business model, and Valve is responding with proton & SteamOS

eecc 10mo ago
Why is it though. Just release a SteamOS with Secure Boot enabled and you’re done. It’s really simple
sheepscreek 10mo ago
Your argument doesn’t make any sense. What does this have to do with supporting Arm chips? It’s not like AMD and Intel are waging a war against Valve. If anything Steam helps them by strengthening the PC gaming market, leading to higher CPU/GPU sales.
- lallysingh 10mo ago
  Slowly getting their stuff independent of wintel gives a lot of flexibility. And the big gaming market's on phones / tablets. A steam controller could find itself paired to an iPad running steam in a year or two.
  - Miraste 10mo ago
    We're too far into the grip of monopolies for that. Apple would never let a full version of Steam run on iPads. Google wouldn't either. I think more ARM Valve hardware is likely.
  - sheepscreek 10mo ago
    The only play I see here is a legitimate Valve console to take on XBOX and Sony. Plus Arm on a Steam Deck would improve the battery life considerably (assuming they are able to integrate with some powerful GPU solution).
squigz 10mo ago
> Windows is closing in on them: stricter kernel access (tougher time for anti-cheat) Why would Microsoft not work with leaders of a multi-billion dollar industry they benefit from to develop anti-cheats that work with whatever limitations they put on kernel access? Also isn't stricter kernel access in part being done for anti-cheat and related measures? > Encouraging users to use the app store, or more accurately: discouraging users to install from binary Why would this threaten Steam? Unless you're suggesting they can't just distribute Steam through this app store? > They threaten Valve's business model, and Valve is responding with proton & SteamOS You didn't even mention Game Pass or their store, which are actually more of a threat!
- lallysingh 10mo ago
  Microsoft's a competitor. And they have a reputation for being the first ally to stab you in the back (e.g. SGI / DirectX). You don't want to depend or trust them when they like the market you're in.
TulliusCicero 10mo ago
They're doing things that are simultaneously good for business and good for consumers. That contrasts against the companies doing things that are good for business (at least short term) and bad for consumers.
- johnnyanmac 10mo ago
  yes. it aligns, for now. But only for now. all those FAANG's had the same status too, once upon a time.
  - 0x1ch 10mo ago
    Valve predates Google by two years (at least per the wiki), and was started by Microsoft employees who didn't particularly like Microsoft's operation. Hoping Valve has a long future ahead of them :)
    - johnnyanmac 10mo ago
      Yeah, and they shifted from being a gamik studio to a middleman. The signs are already there, but greed arrives all the same.
      - ahartmetz 10mo ago
        Valve has had all the triggers and opportunities to change for the worse and it didn't. Short of Gabe Newell not controlling it anymore, I don't see what would ruin it now.
        johnnyanmac 10mo ago
        You can argue they did, depending on what you value. If you loved valve as a premier developer discovering unique experiences and narratives, thars been gone for 14 years now. If you valued not having your software locked down to middlemen or preferred physical media, Valved killed those off in the PC market. If you are a dev and wanted to set your own prices, Valve is current under litigation for price parties. Its not all sunshine and windows. >Short of Gabe Newell not controlling it anymore, I In the same way Bill Gates did not force you to use Internet Explorer, yes. Both are free applications with alternatives. Let's not forget our history.
WD-42 10mo ago
I don’t see it. Stricter kernel access is pressure on game devs, not Valve. And I don’t see MS booting steam off windows any time soon. It’s more about Valve having complete control over the stack and being able to vertically integrate, something they will never have with windows, especially as it continues to enshittify

eecc 10mo ago

Why is it though. Just release a SteamOS with Secure Boot enabled and you’re done. It’s really simple

sheepscreek 10mo ago

Your argument doesn’t make any sense. What does this have to do with supporting Arm chips? It’s not like AMD and Intel are waging a war against Valve. If anything Steam helps them by strengthening the PC gaming market, leading to higher CPU/GPU sales.

lallysingh 10mo ago
Slowly getting their stuff independent of wintel gives a lot of flexibility. And the big gaming market's on phones / tablets. A steam controller could find itself paired to an iPad running steam in a year or two.
- Miraste 10mo ago
  We're too far into the grip of monopolies for that. Apple would never let a full version of Steam run on iPads. Google wouldn't either. I think more ARM Valve hardware is likely.
- sheepscreek 10mo ago
  The only play I see here is a legitimate Valve console to take on XBOX and Sony. Plus Arm on a Steam Deck would improve the battery life considerably (assuming they are able to integrate with some powerful GPU solution).

squigz 10mo ago

> Windows is closing in on them: stricter kernel access (tougher time for anti-cheat) Why would Microsoft not work with leaders of a multi-billion dollar industry they benefit from to develop anti-cheats that work with whatever limitations they put on kernel access? Also isn't stricter kernel access in part being done for anti-cheat and related measures? > Encouraging users to use the app store, or more accurately: discouraging users to install from binary Why would this threaten Steam? Unless you're suggesting they can't just distribute Steam through this app store? > They threaten Valve's business model, and Valve is responding with proton & SteamOS You didn't even mention Game Pass or their store, which are actually more of a threat!

lallysingh 10mo ago
Microsoft's a competitor. And they have a reputation for being the first ally to stab you in the back (e.g. SGI / DirectX). You don't want to depend or trust them when they like the market you're in.

TulliusCicero 10mo ago

They're doing things that are simultaneously good for business and good for consumers. That contrasts against the companies doing things that are good for business (at least short term) and bad for consumers.

johnnyanmac 10mo ago
yes. it aligns, for now. But only for now. all those FAANG's had the same status too, once upon a time.
- 0x1ch 10mo ago
  Valve predates Google by two years (at least per the wiki), and was started by Microsoft employees who didn't particularly like Microsoft's operation. Hoping Valve has a long future ahead of them :)
  - johnnyanmac 10mo ago
    Yeah, and they shifted from being a gamik studio to a middleman. The signs are already there, but greed arrives all the same.
    - ahartmetz 10mo ago
      Valve has had all the triggers and opportunities to change for the worse and it didn't. Short of Gabe Newell not controlling it anymore, I don't see what would ruin it now.
      - johnnyanmac 10mo ago
        You can argue they did, depending on what you value. If you loved valve as a premier developer discovering unique experiences and narratives, thars been gone for 14 years now. If you valued not having your software locked down to middlemen or preferred physical media, Valved killed those off in the PC market. If you are a dev and wanted to set your own prices, Valve is current under litigation for price parties. Its not all sunshine and windows. >Short of Gabe Newell not controlling it anymore, I In the same way Bill Gates did not force you to use Internet Explorer, yes. Both are free applications with alternatives. Let's not forget our history.

WD-42 10mo ago

I don’t see it. Stricter kernel access is pressure on game devs, not Valve. And I don’t see MS booting steam off windows any time soon. It’s more about Valve having complete control over the stack and being able to vertically integrate, something they will never have with windows, especially as it continues to enshittify